THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN NEW LONDON, CT. This Request for Information (RFI) is part of a market research effort to assess industry capabilities that will best address the USCG's needs with regard to the planned execution of a Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contract. It is anticipated that this effort will result in the award of a five-year, Cost Reimbursement, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. In a rough order of magnitude, it is anticipated that the effort required over the five-year period may be in the range of $45M. The Coast Guard (CG) Research and Development Center (RDC) is organizationally aligned under the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Program Office (CG-926) in the Acquisition Directorate (CG-9). RDC is a strategic CG resource and the sole CG facility performing RDT&E in support of the major missions of Maritime Law Enforcement, Maritime Safety, Marine Environmental Protection and National Security. RDC supports CG acquisition and regulatory processes and strives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of CG operations and resources. RDC is also the Coast Guard's principal systems analysis center supporting key acquisition decisions. The CG is seeking information on companies that have the capability to augment the capacity, acquisition experience, and technological expertise of the RDC in their role as advisor, study director, and consultant to CG-9 and their sponsors. This augmentation will result in a long-term partnership to provide support of major systems throughout the acquisition lifecycle. Tasking typically involves complex analyses that require multidisciplinary technical integration of expertise in the following functional areas: requirements, alternatives, and cost analysis; systems engineering and planning; human systems integration; environmental impact and safety assessments; logistics; test and evaluation; scientific and technical studies; and acquisition strategy. In addition, RDC seeks support in the areas of manufacturing readiness; technology maturity analysis; risk analysis; market analysis, user wants and needs assessments, gap analysis; business case development; generation of data intended for a CG solicitation and participation in proposal evaluations in an advisory capacity. In support of tasking requirements, facilitators and facilities may be required for workshop-based sessions (e.g., collaborative requirements generation). In addition to CG and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decision makers, target audiences for final products and presentations include high-level government and non-government reviewers and organizations such as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Inspectors General (IG), the United States Congress, etc. Credentials of the staff involved in the creation of these products have to clearly demonstrate expertise with analysis tools and technology, along with experience with major systems acquisition. When RDC activities support major acquisition efforts, the need for independence and clearly demonstrated absence of conflict of interest, real or perceived, is of critical importance. The SETA contractor will be a close confidential advisor to the RDC and the CG. The SETA contractor will assist the RDC in evaluating proposals, performance, and products of other contractors, thereby giving them access to proprietary information about potential competitors. The SETA contractor will also have access to proprietary, source-selection sensitive, or otherwise restricted information. Because of the close confidential relationship required of the SETA contract, the RDC is concerned that this will cause other private sector firms to be reluctant in pursuing future work with the RDC, and that the release of proprietary information to the SETA contractor would have an adverse impact on competition in future CG procurements. In order to mitigate these concerns, the RDC intends to impose strong Conflict of Interest (COI) restrictions on the SETA contractor. These COI restrictions include the prohibition of the winning offeror, its parent, any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or successors in interest, consultants, and subcontractors from participating (in any capacity) in any CG major and non-major systems acquisitions, other than those activities in direct support of the SETA contract. This COI restriction applies to the duration of each task order and for two years after completion and acceptance of all work performed thereunder. In addition, the SETA contractor, its employees, its parent, any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or successors in interest, consultants, and subcontractors will be prohibited from using any proprietary information obtained in support of the SETA contract. This COI restriction applies to the duration of each task order and for two years after completion and acceptance of all work performed thereunder or until the information becomes part of the public domain, whichever comes latest. Capability statements in response to this market research shall include the following: (1) a description of the capabilities, analysis tools used, and infrastructure components that meet the needs of the RDC activities and functional areas described above in support of major Government acquisitions (limit 6 pages); (2) a description of company history with regard to (a) how multidisciplinary experience was obtained or developed and (b) experience with Cost Reimbursement Contract vehicles (limit 1 page); (3) a description of how compliance with the RDC COI requirements will be met (limit 1 page); (4) a description of the degree of teaming needed to meet the requirements listed above and to accommodate the possible surge in level of effort (limit 1 page); and (5) a statement of business size and classification with North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541330. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only, does not constitute an IFB or RFP, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results with regard to the evaluation of the capability statements received. No solicitation exists at this time; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be posted at the FedBizOpps website. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor the FedBizOpps website for the release of any synopsis or solicitation. Information collected through this announcement will be reviewed by individuals from the CG. Capability statements shall be sent directly to:
[email protected] with a copy to
[email protected]. Only electronic responses will be accepted and shall be submitted no later than 20 October 2011. PHONE CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED, VOICE MAIL MESSAGES LEFT WILL NOT BE RETURNED, AND EMAILS RECEIVED WILL NOT BE RESPONDED TO.